Winter Shorts
by DieterHoffmann
Summary: Some short stories set in the universe of Atlantis, edited for the 2018 Stargate-themed Advent calendar by atlantis des etoiles.
1. Lecture

**Published for December 15th, in atlantis_des_etoiles Stargate-themed Advent calendar**

* * *

Benoît was tense. Not really worried, but stressed. Let's be said that participating in a special advanced astrophysics course, part of a top-secret governmental project for interplanetary agreement, especially when you are only eighteen, was a first. For him as for his nine classmates, all handpicked among the best students of Swiss nationality studying at EPFL.

Especially, what created the atmosphere of feverish waiting in this tiny seminar room, was the origin of their future teacher: an extraterrestrial. A real one.

The door slammed open and, in a flight of leather cloak, their teacher stepped forward to the front table. He then turned to face them, and everyone in the room held their breath. He was tall, almost two meters in height, his skin pale green, his long snow-colored hair held in a simple ponytail, and iridescent golden eyes staring at the humans with supernatural intensity. His angular face was distorted by a grimace of discontent, almost of disdain, revealing sharp, translucent teeth.

"Let us be clear, humans: I'm not here to be friendly or to popularize the wonderful science that is astrophysics. I am here to teach you. I will immerse you in equations that few of your kind have ever considered. I will expose you to concepts that go beyond your limited understanding. And if, as your leaders seem to believe, you have what it takes, you will leave this year of course with the knowledge that will make you the first space engineers in this country able to plan an intergalactic trip. My name does not matter, but if you have to refer to me, it will be under the terms "Professor", "Master" or, in a word, "Sir". For now, am I clear?"

Past the amazement and (to a lesser extent) the vexing side of this introduction, all in the room nodded. Benoît was no longer simply stressed; he was terrified. Something in the appearance - no, in the attitude - of this "teacher" made him feel like a fawn facing a hungry wolf. Like a prey.

"Well. One last word: until you prove otherwise, I will not consider you anything more than larvae - children, unable to grasp what I will tell you, unable to grasp the complex beauty and the immovable perfection of the equations and concepts that allow a ship to jump beyond the speed of light. Although I have agreed to give this course for the sake of our recent alliance, I did not at first judge your race worthy of this knowledge. You humans are inconsistent, voluble, too easily distracted by your pitiful lifespan to really deepen your knowledge. After half a century, you decline, or die. You are a spark, the blink of an eye on the scale of the Universe."

The Wraith's smile changed imperceptibly; his haughtiness diminished, and something like amusement fell below.

"Nevertheless, your kindred did something that never happened to me: they surprised me. I happened to work with humans who, in five years, mastered formulas that our own engineers take a hundred years to perfect. I rubbed shoulders with scientists who, aware of their mortality, have yet spent the entirety of their brief lives developing a future for other humans they would never know. You are a species which, in spite of the brevity and fragility of its existence, is entirely turned towards the future. A way that my race has forgotten. And that, as a scientist, I feel it is necessary we relearn."

Then, and despite the lord-like attitude of the alien, Benoît was certain that his smirk was no longer disdainful or distant.

"Do not misunderstand me; if I have accepted to teach you what I know, it is only because I also mean to appropriate certain... knowledge. At your side."

The atmosphere of the room relaxed slightly.


	2. Man Down

**Published for December 19th in atlantis_des_etoiles Stargate-themed Advent calendar**

* * *

Private Anna McKenzie stooped just behind the embankment to avoid the energy shot. The Wraiths had taken AR-15 - her team - by surprise on this quiet planet. Oriuchi and Wellington had been beamed up by a Dart before they realized they were being attacked. The four remaining members of the squad had thrown themselves under cover, firing at will on the flying machine, eventually discouraging it.

Then, it had been the ground troops. A dozen drones, and as many alphas. They had to retreat, further away from the Gate, and forced to drag Johnson, who had been stunned, behind them. And now there they were, trying to stand their ground in front of a tough and stubborn enemy, who moreover seemed to have called for reinforcements.

Anna realized, while she was sheltering to change her magazine, that she was the only one still valid. Her other two comrades lay stunned beside her. Swearing, she engaged the mag, slammed the breech and took a deep breath. The situation was bad, but she could at least fight for her life. The idea of flight had touched her; but she could not leave her squad behind. Let it not be said that Anna Heather McKenzie has failed her brothers in arms!

An explosion cut her off in her recollection. Risking an eye, she saw that someone had thrown a grenade at the attackers. A moment later, a man leaped over the improvised barricade, landing next to her. Her heart missed a beat: John Sheppard! THE John Sheppard! She had forgotten that AR-1 had come with them on this planet!

"Do not worry, my team has gone around them. We will try to hold on! "

His charming, smug smile, and the assurance in her voice gave courage to Anna. He added :

"We'll show them!"

Like a hero who leads a counter-charge in order to repel an opponent yet vastly superior in number, he rose up... and before he could even shoot a single bullet, he took a blaster shot to the face. Without a sound, he swirled, and collapsed in the dust, next to Anna.

At first amazed, she just sighed. Rolling her eyes, she hoped that the rest of AR-1 - Teyla Emmagan first - would be less positive but more effective. Then she fired away at her foes.


	3. Frosty Surprise

**Published for December 23th in atlantis_des_etoiles Stargate-themed Advent calendar**

* * *

Once again, Todd was puzzled. In front of him stood the strangest sculpture he had ever seen. It was not, however, the vaguely humanoid form of the object that called out to him; but the materials used.

The "body" was made of two coarse spheroids, and overhung by a third one as a "head". Two pieces of dead wood as "arms" on either side of the trunk. And a "face" where the "eyes" were two lanthian gears, the "nose" an orange root vegetable, and the "smile" engraved - by finger or by spoon, he could not tell - in the material itself.

This was what had caught his attention: the object was mainly water in crystalline solid form – briefly said, snow. And to prevent the melting of said snow, the Atlanteans had placed the humanoid figure in a freezer of the kitchen area. Looking at the absence of other perishable goods in the container, they even emptied it especially to house their "work". This defied all logic, as often with the Earthlings.

Sheppard, who was watching him out of the corner of his eye, had a hard time not laughing when he saw the air, both intrigued and stunned, on the Wraith's face.

"John Sheppard, what is with this new... weirdness?" Todd snarled.

The Colonel advanced to him, and explained:

"That's an Earthly tradition. When winter comes and the first snow falls, the children - and a number of adults, even if they admit it only in a low voice - use it to assemble these things, which we call snowmen."

"And what is the purpose of these absurd totems?"

John shrugged.

"They have none. Just having fun assembling them, I guess. To try and make it bigger and fatter than the neighbors'. To decorate it better."

"Oh… I see. A form of competition, in short. One way to prove to his fellow creatures that one does not fear the cold and the snow."

Once again, the Wraith was looking for a rational explanation for what he considered to be another fad. It was both entertaining and painful.

"This planet has a tropical climate," said the alien. "So you have specifically brought snow from another world to assemble this... "man"?"

"We have. Well, it was Donovan's team who surprised us with that."

"And your leader has accepted that you requisition a food cooling unit, just to keep this image? It must be a very important tradition... "

John could have confirmed it to him. Could have tried to explain to him how much this stupid homunculus made of stacked frozen water made them feel good in this holiday season. The way it reminded their home planet to those who were homesick. But he did not know if the Wraith would understand, or would laugh it off, as usual. So he contented himself with acquiescing in silence.

"And... Why is his nasal appendage represented by an edible root?" asked Todd.

"The carrot? Well, not the slightest idea!" confessed the soldier shamelessly.


End file.
